Welcome Our New Town Clerk… It’s Budget Season!...Welcome Our New Town Clerk… Tracey Stevens, CMC, joins our team as the new Town Clerk and she has ... ciencies and our fiduciary

Official Town Newsletter JULY 2015 EDITION VOL. 2015 - NO. 2

507 Ocean Avenue, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951-2523

(321) 724-5860 ♦ FAX: (321) 984-8994 ♦ www.melbournebeachfl.org

Welcome Our New Town Clerk…

Tracey Stevens, CMC, joins our team as the

new Town Clerk and she has

hit the ground running! She is

already immersed in Town

business including preparations

for the upcoming Fall elections,

TRIM compliance (“Truth in

Millage” ad valorem tax pro-

cess), records management,

organization and archival duties

of Town records, and Town

Commission / Board & Commit

tee support.

Tracey came to Melbourne Beach from Maine

where she was Town Clerk for the Town of Freeport

for 3 years, and Town Clerk for the Town of Fair-

field for 8 years. Tracey also served as First Vice-

President of the Maine Town & City Clerks' Associ-

ation (MTCCA) and its Legislative Policy Committee

Chairperson. She received the prestigious Maine

Town Clerk of the Year Award in 2014, along with

the MTCCA Presidents Award in 2015. Tracey

holds an Associates Degree in Business Admin-

istration, is currently a Certified Municipal Clerk

(CMC) as recognized by the International Institute

of Municipal Clerks, and a lifetime Certified Clerk of

Maine. She is married and has two daughters and

one granddaughter. If you see her around Town,

please give her a warm Melbourne Beach welcome!

It’s Budget Season!

Your Town Commission, staff and interested citizens will be

participating in town-wide scheduled budget workshop ses-

sions over the months of July and August. These discussions,

driven by financial data of our revenues and expenses help

create the annual budget, which becomes the “blueprint” for

operations, priorities and policies in the coming fiscal year

(FY16). We encourage you to follow and communicate with

staff and elected officials on matters of importance to you and

your neighbors so that we may create the best plans possible

for the coming year, all the while paying attention to cost effi-

ciencies and our fiduciary responsibility to well manage the

town and its functions. We look forward to seeing you at our

meetings and working with you in the coming year. All meet-

ings are held at either Town Hall in the Masny Room or at the

Community Center.

Budget Meeng Date/Time

Workshop: Building & Code, Police Dept July 13 @ 3:00 TH

Workshop: Legisla#ve, Execu#ve, Finance, Legal,

Comp Plan, General Government

July 16 @ 3:00 TH

Workshop: Public Works, Fire Department July 20 @ 3:00 TH

Workshop: Overview, Special Funds, HR, Capital

Improvements, Revenues, Proposed Millage

July 23 @ 3:00 TH

Special Mee#ng to set Maximum Millage July 23 @ 5:30 TH

Workshop: Overview and follow-up Aug 10 @ 3:00 TH

First Public Budget Hearing/Stormwater Assess-

ment Roll

Sept 10 @ 6:30 CC

Final Public Budget Hearing/Adopt Budget Sept 21 @ 6:30 CC

Last June, Mike Daniel, a prominent local surfboard shaper and chairman of the Sebastian Inlet chapter of the Surfrid-

er Foundation, approached Mayor Jim Simmons with a question – Would the Town be willing to support a Surfrider

and Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) initiative to promote and incentivize voluntary reductions in the use of single-use

plastic merchant bags? The local chapter had been approached by Tim Stockton who was seeking to sponsor and

proof-test a pilot program in a small town with a small merchant base and Mr. Daniel thought Melbourne Beach would

provide the perfect opportunity. (Mr. Stockton is a local surfer and entrepreneur and the CEO of CERTON, Inc. CER-

TON, headquartered in Indialantic, is an engineering company founded in 2006 by

Mr. Stockton to provide innovative tools, technology, and services for safety-

critical systems, software, and electronic hardware in the Aerospace, Medical,

Transportation, and Energy sectors.)

Mr. Daniel explained that, because of Melbourne Beach’s seaside location and its

proximity to the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, it is a prime location for ef-

forts to reduce the use of plastics, in general, and of single-use plastic bags spe-

cifically. The Refuge is the most important site for loggerhead sea turtles in the

Western Hemisphere and, possibly, the world and has the highest nesting densi-

ties in Florida. According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the impact of plastics on

our marine environment cannot be overstated.

• It is estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world. It is expected that another 30 million tons will be produced this year alone, much of which will also end up in our oceans.

• Eighty percent of the plastic debris comes from land. It washes out to sea from our beaches, streets and high-ways. It flows out through storm drains into streams and rivers. It flies away from landfills and into the stomachs of sea turtles everywhere.

• Over 100 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean.

• Sea turtles are especially susceptible to the effects of consuming marine debris due to their bodies' own structure. They have downward facing spines in their throats which prevent the possibility of regurgitation. The plastics get trapped in their stomach, which prevents them from properly swallowing food.

• Sea turtles often mistakenly injest floating single-use plastic bags due to their uncanny similarity to jellyfish (their

primary food source).

• In a study conducted in Brevard and Volusia Counties in Florida, scientists, who examined the gut contents from

both living and nonliving stranded loggerhead turtles in those counties, found that 100 percent of the 94 turtles

examined had plastics in their gut contents. Another study conducted in the Gulf Stream Sargassum examined

dead post-hatchlings which were left stranded following storms in the same area, and found that almost 100 per-

cent of all the turtles examined had suffered from plastic ingestion.

While recycling plastics, including single-use plastic bags, is better than burning them in incinerators or burying

them in landfills, even the plastics recycling process is not without harmful effects on human and environmental

health. Plastic is melted during the recycling process which causes it to break down and release the chemicals

used to make it, including dioxins, into the environment. The best option, according to the EPA is to reduce use.

(“Recycle” is only the third best use, after “reuse.”)

At the end of this discussion, Mayor Simmons said he would proudly support such a project and, over the next few

months, plans were developed.

The first step in this project was the development of Resolution 2014-10 by the Town’s Environmental Advisory Board

(chaired by Curtis Byrd), which calls on residents and merchants to “promote efforts to reduce the distribution and use

of plastic bags” and to “voluntarily…reduce the use of plastic bags.” The Town Commission approved this resolution in

September, 2014 and it was signed by Mayor Simmons on October 7, 2014.

~ Continued on Page 3 ~

Surfrider, Sea Turtle Conservancy, Certon & Town Partner to “Rise Above Plastics”

Surfrider Sebas�an Inlet Chairman Mike

Daniel presents the first bags to Mayor

Jim Simmons and his wife Laurie

~ “Rise Above Plastics” Continued from Page 2 ~

The second step was to develop a way to encourage this voluntary effort. As part of his proposal, Mr. Stockton had

generously offered to fund and acquire 3,200 reusable merchant bags for distribution to Town residents. Mr. Stockton,

Surfrider (Sebastian Inlet Chapter) and STC sought, and found, a manufacturer who was capable of manufacturing high

-quality reusable bags with high-quality graphics. In June 2015, the Town Commission formally appointed Mayor Sim-

mons as the Commission’s liaison to this project. Also in June, the reusable bags were delivered and Mike Daniel, Eric

Schwarze (Surfrider local “Rise Above Plastics” coordinator), Tim and Kim Stockton (CERTON), Donna Lee Crawford

(STC representative) and Mayor Simmons met to determine the best way to distribute these bags. It was quickly decid-

ed that the best way to distribute them would be through the Town’s merchants. It was also decided that this initiative

would be formally kicked off at the Environmental Advisory Board’s Popcorn Science session on July 11 (at noon in the

Melbourne Beach Library). It is planned that the bags will be available through the Town’s merchants shortly thereafter.

In order to ensure that these bags are distributed to Town residents (and that there are enough for all interested resi-

dents), the project has asked that the merchants try to ensure that the customer 1) is a resident of the Town, 2) has not

already received a bag and 3) will use it in lieu of single-use plastic bags. We also ask that the residents take only one

bag per household. The merchants have further committed to keep statistics to determine the total reduction in single-

use plastic bags.

As of the writing of this article, 100% of the Town’s retail merchants (listed below) have agreed to support this project and to distribute these bags to Town residents. (A limited number will also be available at Town Hall.)

• Melbourne Beach Supermarket

• Saver’s Drugs

• Melbourne Beach Exxon

• Nate’s Shell Shop

• Catalyst Surf Shop

• Black Dog Bait & Tackle

• Pools R Us

• Oceanside Liquors

At the start of this project, it was hoped that it would lead to similar projects and support in other communities, which it

has. Recently, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach and Satellite Beach have also expressed interest in developing similar

campaigns for their communities. Also, the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee of the Florida

State Senate unanimously passed a bill (in the recently concluded session) which would allow towns of less than

100,000 residents to regulate the use of these bags. (State law currently prohibits local regulation.) Because it was not

addressed by the full Senate or the House of Representatives, the bill will be resubmitted next year.

The Town wants to thank the Surfrider Foundation (Sebastian Inlet Chapter), the Sea Turtle Conservancy and

CERTON for initiating and implementing this project.

We all know someone - a friend, family member or neighbor - who has been affected by the economy, but

you may not realize that more than 34,000 students, nearly 1 out of 2 of our students, come from families

with incomes low enough to qualify for free or reduced lunch. Star#ng a new school year with a backpack

filled with necessary school supplies enables a child to start school prepared and ready to learn. Every child

should have the basics, like pencils, folders, and paper, and the goal of the Brevard Schools Founda#on is

to make that happen. If you would like to make a dona#on, please stop by the Town Hall collec#on site.

Tennis

The resurfacing of the Town’s Rykman Park Tennis Courts is nearing completion, including new fencing, an additional access gate and other amenities, along with retrofitted light poles. Be on the look out for a “grand reopening” of the courts soon. Thank you to all the effort and contributions from the court users, citizens and MBTA. All contributors will be recognized for the project in the near future.

Town Operations

I hope you notice constant improvement in areas of Town operations. Last month marked my first year here in Melbourne Beach. I welcome feedback to make Melbourne Beach the perfect place to live, work and play, while striving to provide professional and efficient administration. I have an open door policy to meet on any matter (schedule permitting of course); just contact, or visit Town Hall to set up a chat with me... or our great staff!

Financials

The Town is in its annual audit process, which as-sures we deploy best fiduciary practices and princi-ples running the Town. Town Commission meetings and hearings begin in earnest July 13th and contin-ue through September on a schedule and process of Budget workshops and hearings to craft and final-ize the upcoming FY16 Budget, priorities and Capi-tal Expenditure plans for the Town (our fiscal year begins October 1). See our website and postings for the meetings scheduled. We hope you attend to give your input for the coming year.

I always look forward to meeting and getting to know our residents and guests. Have a safe, fun and Happy Fourth of July holi-day!

~JamieTitcomb Town Manager

Town Manager’s Report

Upcoming Meetings & EventsUpcoming Meetings & Events

**See Page 1 for Budget Meeting Schedule****See Page 1 for Budget Meeting Schedule**

Meeting / EventMeeting / Event DateDate TimeTime LocationLocation

History Center Board July 2 5:30 p.m. Old Town Hall

Town Hall Closed for Independence Day July 3

Firecracker 5K Race July 4 7:00 a.m. Honor America Liberty Bell Memorial

Museum, Melbourne

Viera’s 21st Great American Celebration July 4 6:30 p.m. Space Coast Stadium, Melbourne

Melbourne Fireworks Display July 4 9:00 p.m. Indian River Lagoon / Front St

South Beaches Coalition July 6 4:30 p.m. Town Hall

Planning & Zoning Board July 7 7:00 p.m. Community Center

Island Garden July 8 11:30 a.m. Community Center

DAR July 11 9:00 a.m. Town Hall

Historical Preservation & Awareness Board July 14 4:00 p.m. Town Hall

Sea Turtle Preservation Society July 14 7:00 p.m. Community Center

Town Commission Regular Meeting July 15 6:30 p.m. Community Center

Beach Gardeners July 21 6:00 p.m. Community Center

Environmental Advisory Board July 22 7:00 p.m. Town Hall

Melbourne Beach Volunteer Fire Dept. Every Tues. 7:00 p.m. Town Hall

AA Every Wed. 7:30 p.m. Old Town Hall